Chapter 2: Tragedy

"Lucy do you need anything I'm stopping by TGI Fridays."

"Just Jalapeno Poppers, Maria can you take that ball and glove with you I got to get them polished. "

"Got it, later." Maria grabbed the ball and glove and walked out of the duplex. The steps down to the streets were not hard but not easy. Then came the walk, in New York there was a certain way Lesbians or ones faking on the grounds of keeping a best friend like Maria appeared. The flannel was a thing she could not get used to. It was nearly 20 minutes later as she turned the corner to a famous bar in the area.

"McLaren's, I should stop in and grab some food."

The walk down to the bar was not an easy one it wasn't like the bars she and Lucy went to awfully old styled and very much like a TV show. The nearest seat was centered right in front of the taps. Maria sat down and placed the glove and ball right down by her feet. The barhop with black hair popped by her and warmly smiled.

"You look different new look?"

"Yeah I get that in this area, and you are."

"Wendy, I'm one of the two main waitresses around here can I get you something to drink Robin."

"No I'm not Robin, my name is Maria."

"Oh, I'm sorry you look just like one of this bars famous five."

"Famous five?"

"Yeah, our five best customers, you see that first booth over there. Nearly every other night I look in that booth and admire how no matter what there problems are they always come in and drink up."

Maria looked down and sighed heavily her friendship and subsequent fake relationship with Maria over the past 9 years and kept thinking about how shuttered her life was. They hardly went out and when they did it was in friendly areas. Her devotion to Maria was eating away her personality and now it was time to finally admit it.

"Wendy I'll take Jalapeño poppers and 3 Bacardi Mojitos." Maria flashed out three 20's.

"Coming up." The timing of the drinks came fast and hard and for the first time in 6 years Maria felt total liberation. After filling up she dropped off Wendy an excellent tip grabbed the ball and walked out. The corner near the sports outfitter came into view and down the street Maria could hear a conversation.

"Marshall, seriously 83% of all marriages could only end in divorce and after just meeting your own future in the form of your secretary. Trust me the mermaid theory will take effect soon."

"Barney, 83% of the time you use 83 in anything your always wrong while the other 17."

The two stopped dead in their tracks to check a penny on the street now was the time to cross, but the necessity to spit came first. As she was crossing all she heard was.

"Barney look."

Maria sped up and quickly walked away. But before getting out of their range she heard them brag.

"I swear Barney, Robin is not a lesbian."

"You better be right about this Marshall."

The sporting outfitter was within a block and all Maria kept thinking to herself was this mysterious Robin.

"From what Wendy and those guys said I do look like this Robin. That does remind me, a couple Canadian guys at the base did ask me once if I look like that chick who sang Let's go to the Mall what was her name." She pondered that and went in.

Inside while Maria waited for the glove and the ball she did some soul searching. "Maybe those guys were right, I should get on with my life and I'm sure Lucy could be open to just having a friendship I mean that dude who played Clifford on Threes Company pretended he was gay and got away with it. That's it I'm telling Lucy I'm not Bi and if she wants me to leave I will."

After the ball and glove were fixed and polished Maria stopped by TGI Fridays and picked up the sampler meal. The long walk back gave her time to mark down what she wanted to say. Then came the door and now she noticed it was broken in. Maria raced up the stairs to their apartment to find it had been ransacked. The next thing she saw was one of the worst she ever experienced.

"Lucy…" The tears began to form almost immediately. Her best friend had her wrists cut and neck sliced open right on top of her bed. All the while her journal open to the page where she admitted she did not want to be around Lucy anymore was covered in blood. Maria sunk to her knees in despair. Then the most unexpected thing happened.

"So this is what it's come to."

The voice came from her own computer which had been turned on by accident. On the screen was an african american wearing a dark suit with a black eyepatch.

"Excuse me?"

"Maria Hill, Air Force leutenant dishonorably discharged after admition of bisexuality but we both know you're not really bisexual."

Maria got up and walked over to the computer and sat down on the chair."

"Who are you?"

"Nick Fury... Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and your last hope."

Maria now knew what he was talking about.

"I'm listening."